Strawberry Knight Under the Cerulean Sky
by Aqua-Tranquility
Summary: I hate you, I Iove you, and everything in between. Written for the Erzajane Top 10 Project and set in Maiden Voyage's universe.
1. Pocky Kiss

There wasn't much to do in a small town like Magnolia which could lead to all sorts of trouble. Especially with friends like Mirajane Strauss. If her style wasn't enough of a red flag to anyone, who crossed her path. Mirajane's devil may care attitude would be more than happy to fill in the gaps. She was a storm and Erza was always caught in the eye constantly swept away.

There was no one Erza could blame for her lack of self-restraint. Not even Mirajane. She may be an expert at picking people apart, figuring out which buttons to push, slipping past defenses. But Erza always took the bait. Even after knowing her for over a decade. Which lead Erza to her most recent predicament, Mirajane's most recent challenge.

They were on their way back from the Library; what passed for a school when they couldn't make it the actual school in the next town over. Mirajane's silver ponytail swayed over her shoulder as she sashayed down the dirt path. A handful of silver bracelets jingled from her wrist.

Erza fiddled with her braid. Suddenly aware that she had become lost in her thoughts, "Where are we going?"

Mira glanced back not bothering to hide her smirk. "Scarlet, for a teacher's pet you sure have a hard time paying attention."

"I only pay attention to matters of importance," Erza shot back.

"Oh, look who finally decided to come alive!"

Erza prepared to come back, but then the light hit Mira's hair in the most frustrating way. Were her eyes always that blue? The words died in her throat as quickly as they had come. It was happening more often than not lately. Before her heart only thrummed with rare moments of vulnerability. As of late, just about everything her friend did sent her heart racing and set her face aflame.

Mira satisfied with her win slung her leather clad arm around Erza's shoulders. Her biker jacket, providing an extra layer of warmth against the fall chill. The breeze gusted past as they reached the beginnings of the cobblestone path that indicated they were back in the main part of town. "We're going to mine. I got my hands on something interesting."

Strauss Tavern would be dead at this hour of the day. It never got busy until after dark when the town's residents converged after the day's end. It was Mira's inheritance. Mrs. Zera took the place over temporarily years ago. Her old room was still set up on the second floor. Most of the furniture had been moved when the Strauss children went to live with the Vermillions, but an assortment of junk and an ancient day bed remained. When there wasn't anything better to do or Erza needed a place to crash, they went there. The floorboards creaked beneath her feet as they entered. Magazines were strewn across the bed. A medley of candy and chips set in a box by the nightstand. Erza settled into the musty armchair by the window. "Is this going to be interesting or are you just saying that?"

Mira brought her hand up to her chest in mock offense, "would I lie to you Erza?"

"Yes, definitely, you do it all the time."

"I guess I don't have to share these sweets with you then?" She shrugged out of her jacket before digging through junk food to pull out a pastel pink box.

Erza couldn't help herself. Ears perked she took in Mira's face. The teasing look, the pastel pink packaging, were those..., "Is that...strawberry?" Her mouth began to water. She and Mira shared a love of sweets, but strawberries were a whole other level, and Mira knew it. Whatever trick she had up shelve...Erza was not going to be able to deny her now.

A feigned look that may have appeared innocent to the untrained eye crossed her face. "It is, but since my nearest dearest doubted me..."-a wicked grin crawled up her face-"I don't know..."

Erza faltered. She wanted this candy whatever it was, "Is it good?"

"The best."

"What is it?"

"Pocky, it's a biscuit covered in flavored chocolate." Mira drew one of the biscuits out of the box snapping it between her teeth. "They're delicious."

"C'mon you had your fun," Erza whined, "can I have one, please?"

"Sure," Mira drawled out, "in fact, you can have the rest of the box on one condition. You have to win it from me."

She could not help the sigh of exasperation that followed with Mira there was always a catch. "How?"

"Apparently, there's a popular game people play with these."

Erza eyed her warily, "Really?"

Mira's teeth glinted, "Really?"- She began to walk toward Erza like a predator stalking its prey-"Here's how it goes,"-she rested a hand on the arm of the chair as she leaned over-"we each take one end, and we start eating. First, to chicken out loses. Winner gets the rest of the Pocky."

Heat rushed to her cheeks. What a dangerous game. "That seems like an arbitrary decision process."

"What, are you conceding already?" Mira looked down hauntingly. "I didn't even have to try."

"You wish!" Erza rushed up nearly knocking their heads together. She would never back down from a challenge. "I just want to make sure the rules are clear so you can't twist them."

"Awww," Mira moved, so they were even closer. If that were possible. Composure never breaking. Meanwhile, Erza's head had finally begun to cool only for the heat to rush back; once she realized the position, she was in. Mira must have caught on as she teased, "you know me so well. Whoever has the least left is the winner. Ready?" She asked, but obviously, she felt she already had Erza's answer.

The second Erza opened her mouth a stick of Pocky was shoved in. Mira smirking around her end began inching her way to the other end. Erza's end. Strawberry sweetness coated her tongue, but she was too lost to enjoy it. Mira was still moving. If she thought they were going to kiss a moment before it may happen now. She was at a loss. Her cheeks burned the color of her favorite fruit. Mira's eyes were defiant even half-lidded. Blue as the sky and just as endless. Long lashes shadowed. She drew closer. Silver tendrils brushed her face as a delicate touch guided her in Mira's direction. Erza squeezed her eyes shut. Her teeth involuntarily snapped the Pocky waving the white flag. Mira's breath was hot against her before soft lips captured hers. A fraction of a second that lasted an eternity.

Suddenly, Erza's space was hers once more. She let a breath out that she didn't realize she was holding. Mira leaned back smugly. A wry smile on her lips. Something was off. "Lame, and here I thought you would put up more of a fight. Guess, these are mine then." She turned to stretch out on the bed promptly burying her face in a magazine. If Erza didn't know better, she would think Mira was blushing. Maybe she was, there were not any protests when Erza polished off her Pocky.


	2. Starry Night

The Starry Night Festival is upon the town of Magnolia. Erza is dateless. Mirajane decides to keep her company.

* * *

The starry night festival was almost on par with Valentine's day. Magnolia had dozen little events throughout the year that were found nowhere else. Mirajane always figured it was to overcompensate for the lack of anything for miles around the provincial town.

Stars were always clearer on frigid December nights, but the weather did not lend itself to stargazing. It really wasn't Mirajane's cup of tea. Only in Magnolia could people make a fuss over nothing with such ceremony. If she had to hear one more testimonial, about how romantic it was to sit under the stars when it was thirty below, she was going to be sick.

So, while everyone was out, reclined against the ancient trundle bed while she thumbed through the latest edition of _Sorcerer Weekly_. The muted sounds from the Tavern below floated past the worn floorboards. Up and coming model Jenny Realight graced the glossy cover in a tell-all detailing her hostess past.

She popped one of the strawberry candies she kept around for Erza into her mouth. The redhead was thrilled for the festival. She had spent an ungodly amount of time gushing about Jellal "I make poor life choices" Fernandes to her and Bisca. Well, mostly Bisca; who in turn gushed about Connell. Despite, being completely oblivious. Erza must have gotten the sense that she didn't want to hear about it.

She wasn't looking forward to the fallout. Mr. Face Tatto had absolutely no interest in the opposite sex and was currently in a state of denial that was a massive embarrassment to everyone involved; especially his on again off again hook up. She couldn't imagine emo fuckboy of the year being a particularly good lay, but apparently, Cobra felt different. So yeah, she was a little bitter maybe even a jealous of Erza's infatuation. Sure, eventually, Erza was bound to date someone, and when that happened they had better be good enough; she should never have to settle for second best.

A blast of cold air blew through the room. Erza with red-rimmed eyes crept over the sill. Her scarlet locks were tied back in a haphazard plait.

"You know using the door is always an option," Mirajane said hoping to break the tension. Erza only climbed through her window when she was upset. It was practically tradition. Whenever she needed a place to crash or a shoulder to cry on, for whatever reason, she came to Mirajane. Not that she had ever excelled at comforting people.

Without a word, Erza threw herself at Mirajane. Sobs wracked the red heads body while she attempted to comfort her in vain. They sat there a while the magazine crushed and discarded between the two of them. After a lifetime Erza's sobs dissolved to hiccups. Her tears ran dry. "He said that he would be there...t-that we'd celebrate the festival together..."And at that very moment, she swore the next time she saw Jellal she was going to kick every one of his teeth in for making Erza cry. "Then he showed up so late and said this whole thing…" _-Probably too busy getting dicked down-_ "about us being _bad for each other?_ "

"What a douche," she could not help her sigh. Whether it was relief or exasperation, she didn't know. Chances were that Erza was downplaying this too. Leave it to Jellal to find the most dramatic way possible to tell someone he wasn't interested.

"And what am I going to tell people?"

Mirajane grabbed her by the wrist while trying to maintain her composure.

"C'mon, let's stargaze," Mirajane tugged Erza on to the Tavern's roof.

"What?" Erza gaped at her as scarlet rose to her cheeks.

Mirajane fought back a blush of her own, hoping her smirk was convincing enough to disguise it, "I know. I'm not your first choice, but I promise, cross my heart and hope to die, promise, that if we see a shooting star, I'll bring it back for you."

Hours passed like minutes, stars burst through the dark, and it was absolutely freezing. Mirajane discovered that even the coldest nights could be warm when there was someone to share them with; Shoulders brushed together while their hands just barely touched. Maybe, stargazing in the dead of winter wasn't so bad.


	3. Rehearsal

"You want to waste your time making Fernandes jealous after he stood you up _on your first date?_ " Mirajane questioned, a smirk appeared on her lips.

"It's not about making anyone jealous," Erza vainly attempted to hold back the whine. How had it come to this? Erza had run everything over multiple times, and she still couldn't imagine what had possessed her to ask Mira to pretend to date her. _To make Jellal jealous._ "No one was stood up," she protested. Thinking of it made her blush fiercely enough that the color of her face and hair became near indistinguishable, so she did what she did best when Mira embarrassed her and taunted right back. "I didn't think you would miss an opportunity to mess with him."

Mira slung an arm over her shoulder as she leaned in closer, "I never said I wouldn't." Their faces were barely an inch apart; _they hadn't been this close since the pocky incident._ She couldn't tear her eyes away from Mira's lips, couldn't forget what it had felt like in that brief moment, that heartbeat when they had softly captured her own. They hadn't talked about it or about how she had clasped Erza's hand all night while she cried on her shoulder.

Mirajane seemed content to pretend none of it had happened, and Erza couldn't forget. Fearless and perfect, she knew that she sent Erza's heart racing and relished the opportunity to tease her for it. Even so, for all her bluster, Mira was always there to pick her up when she was down. "Will you?"

"How could I turn down an opportunity to get under Jelly's skin?"

"It's really not about that-"

"Sure, for you," there was a glint in her eyes that could only mean trouble, "I don't intend to let him off that easy."

"I'm beginning to think that I shouldn't have involved you in this…"

"Who else could you ask?" _No one, well, that wasn't strictly true..._ Bisca may help, but it would involve explaining what happened during the Starry Night Festival and once was enough. "Exactly," Mirajane then moved in closer. "So, let's get started."

Suddenly Mirajane closed the distance between them with a soft kiss. Erza could hardly breathe as she jumped back. "What are you doing?!"

Mirajane's head tilted in mock naivete, "If you want to be convincing, we are going to have to practice."

The logic of it...wasn't unsound, but the look on Mira's face spelled trouble. Her heart thundered in her chest when the other girl threw her arm casually around her shoulders; making out with her would definitely be the end. "If you think that you need practice, then I guess I'll have to go along." It was sure to get Mira fired up, but at least then Erza could keep up the pretense that it was just for show.

What she wasn't anticipating was Mira's competitive streak manifesting in a crushing kiss. If she hadn't taken her breath away before, Mira had more than accomplished the task now. It was too easy to get swept away in the sensation.

A clatter of books on the cobblestone walkway broke them apart. A lethal smirk graced Mirajane's face as she flipped someone off over Erza's shoulder. Jellal stood shell-shocked and mouth agape as he stared from down the path redder than she had ever seen; she boiled in embarrassment as he gathered his things and moved quicker than she hadn't thought possible. "Was that necessary?"

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Even as she pulled away, they were mere inches apart. "I only did what you asked." Clearly satisfied with how everything had transpired, Mirajane waved goodbye as she headed off to her next class.

Erza stood there for a moment, heart pounding in her chest. _What had she wanted to accomplish with all of this?_

* * *

Did Mirajane know that Jellal was there the entire time? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ We may never know

Thanks for reading! Any comments, kudos, etc. are always appreciated (*≧▽≦)


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